Out September 13, 2022 [Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review!]

Rating: 4/5 stars

Lilian hasn’t seen her sister Rosie in years, until Rosie shows up back in her life begging to talk to her about a matter of life and death. But before Rosie can share her secrets, a car accident leaves her with a severe brain injury, and Lilian seeking answers.

This was one of my most anticipated releases of the fall, and it ended up being a lot of fun! The premise felt familiar (estranged family members, brain injury and buried secrets) yet unique all at once, and the medical side of the book was definitely aided by the fact that the author is an actual real-life doctor.

I did figure out the twists, but I’ve come to the conclusion that’s my own fault because I’ve already read All The Books In The World. And I’m never too mad about figuring things out anyway—that just means the author did a good job unspooling enough hints for a sophisticated reader to latch onto, and I personally take it as a sign of a good book!

Most of all, I loved that this book dealt with heavy, serious themes—including intimate partner abuse, the weight of sisterhood, parental neglect, postpartum anxiety, and loss of loved ones—and handled sensitive subjects deftly and with great care. Not every book can balance dark subject matter and strong positive messages, but this one definitely did.

Recommended to anyone, but especially if you like: stories about sisters; medical thrillers; multiple twists.

CW: Intimate partner abuse; gaslighting/manipulation; parental neglect; postpartum anxiety; death of parents; death of child; grief; mental illness; car accident; mentions of sexual assault; mentions of animal cruelty; gun violence.

This is a debut thriller from Godfrey which is a whirlwind, but in the worst possible way! This is definitely a binge worthy read that is unputdownable! Obsession & betrayal, with high building tension and suspense to keep you wanting more.

This book centers around estranged sisters, Lillian and Rosie, as they agree to get together finally after years of not speaking. While on their way to dinner together Rosie tells Lillian that she has something very important she needs to tell her, and it is a matter of life or death. The next thing you know, the car crashes and Rosie ends up suffering from a severe Traumatic Brain Injury. The story follows Lillian as she tries to figure out the important thing that Rosie wanted to tell her before the car crashed. Soon Lillian starts to question if the car crash was really an accident at all, or if someone is out for her, or her sister. Lillian will soon find out the truth.

I knew that something was off while reading this (duh, its a thriller!) BUT I just could not pinpoint exactly what that was. This is one of those books that really keeps you second guessing everything, and everyone, until each layer is peeled away to reveal the twisted truth in an amazing conclusion to the story. The story is told from both sisters POV, which I really enjoyed.

This is one for any thriller fan to add to your TBR list! I really enjoyed this fantastic thriller debut from Godfrey and will definitely be adding other up-coming books from her to my list!

This was a really good psychological thriller! Lilian and Rosie are two sisters who grew up relying on each other. Lilian pretty much raised Rosie and when she left for college things changed between them. Feeling abandoned and as if her sister only wanted to control her life, Rosie gets caught up in some bad relationship and struggles in life. Lilian herself is dealing with a downfall as well is not sure what to think when Rosie reaches out for dinner after not having seen or heard from her for a couple of years.

Rosie has some important things to discuss with Lilian when their vehicle is struck and Rosie ends up with a traumatic brain injury. Rosie has become fearful of Lilian and thinks she is an imposter of her sister. Working with the doctors, the fiancé who appears, and digging into Rosie's past, Lilian starts to unravel the last few years of her sisters life and what really was happening with her as well as what important thing she might have wanted to tell her. But when Rosie gets discharged to her fiancé for care, Lilian feels that he is starting to try and make more control of her sisters health and the online diary she uncovers might just hold the clue to everything and everyone.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and the author for the free novel and Let's Talk Books for the invite. Make sure you clear time if you start this one, it is a page turner and you won't want to put it down.

IMPOSTER - BRADEIGH GODFREY

4⭐

PLOT -
Lilian and Rosie were once closer to each other but untimely death of their parents pulled them apart. 3 yrs later Rosie requests Lilian to meet but they meet with an accident just when Rosie wants to share something important.
Lilian is fine but Rosie suffered traumatic brain injury and Lilian feels it was a deliberate accident.
As Rosie's past 3 yrs start to uncover things never to Lilian about Rosie comes to light.
Lilian is determined to be there for her sister now more than ever.
MY THOUGHTS
What a fantastic debut novel!!
It's perfect slow burn suspense mystery which all comes together perfectly in the end .
The pace is good for a thriller. Loved the medical condition incorporated in the storyline.
There is enough psychological analysis which has been smartly interjected throughout the book with out being too overbearing.
I kinda had partial suspicion about someone (avoiding spoilers) but the reveal just blew me away.
Just go in blind you won't regret it!
Thank you Netgalley and publishers for this arc in exchange for my honest review.

A good thriller based on perception, paranoia, and traumatic brain injury. Lily and Rose have been estranged, but then a car accident changes things drastically. Who is the scar faced man, where is the sliver car, and why does Rose get agitated when Lily visits?
I have to admit, my assumption was way off the mark. I thought one of the culprits was one of the sisters. Wrong, wrong. I can’t imagine not being able to remember or to Have to relearn simple skills all over.
Imposter makes you think about a lot of things.

I was so thrilled to get a chance to read Imposter by Bradeigh Godfrey. Bradeigh has shared so much of her writing journey and I just knew I would love it.

Lillian and Rose were sisters. They were 10 years apart and because of their parents inabilities LIllian was Rose's main caregiver. She mothered her, sheltered her from her parent's alcohol fueled fights, attended her parent/teacher conferences, dressed her and braided her hair. When Lillian left for college she felt freed and Rose felt abandoned. As years passed they mostly lost touch. Then one snowy night as they attempted a reconciliation over dinner - with Rose driving there was a devastating car accident. Rose has a severe brain injury and Lillian only suffers a concussion. But as Lillian tries to piece together the events of the accident she discovers secrets about Rose and her past. Who is the imposter?

This book is a thriller that kept me guessing throughout. Godfrey did an excellent job of writing and explaining all the medical terminology. The characters were well-developed and believable (except Rose's fiancé...) and the plot developed quickly and held my interest. All the questions were answered in the end. This is a great first novel and we will definitely be reading more thrillers by Bradeigh Godfrey in the future.

That was bananas in the best way and I loved it so much.

What we have here is a thriller with a medical angle, an is-she or isn't-she unreliable narrator, and a nice juicy twist I didn't see coming.

This is the best suspense thriller I've read in a while and I can't wait to see what else Bradeigh Godfrey does.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a free review copy of this book. It was a delight!

Lillian has enough stress in her life before her younger sister Rosie calls after years of estrangement and wants to meet for dinner. Lillian is a new mom suffering from post-partum anxiety and a pediatrician haunted by a misdiagnosis. But she and Rosie used to be close before their parent’s died. In fact, Lillian practically raised her kid sister. While driving to dinner during an icy Chicago snowstorm, Rosie tells Lillian she has something to tell her that’s a matter of life and death, but then they’re hit by another car. Lillian escapes the accident with just a concussion, but Rosie is left with a traumatic brain injury, unable to communicate. Lillian is convinced the other car rammed into them on purpose, but the more she investigates the more she seems to put herself and her family in danger.

This psychological thriller had twists I didn’t see coming which is the highest compliment I can pay to any thriller. The tension starts right out of the gate—I literally got goosebumps reading the prologue—and ramps up steadily throughout the novel. I was honestly so worried for everyone in the book. I was worried about Rosie and her recovery, Lillian, her baby daughter, and even her marriage in an incredibly realistic and spine-chilling way. And throughout the book I was worried about who to trust.

At its core this is a story about sisters and how even with the unconditional love that comes with those relationships, there are still limits to what we can do and be for each other. But there are so many other themes explored. Abusive relationships and how the lens we view them through can change the picture entirely, the power of the brain to change and repair itself, how anxiety can challenge and change a relationship, and how to forgive yourself for mistakes made. And all of that is expertly woven into a delightfully twisty package!

3.5
Imposter is a psychological thriller about 2 sisters that have been estranged after the death of their parents and come back together on a snowy night. Lilian, a pediatrician that is mentally and emotionally recovering from a tragic event, is the older sister. Her younger sister, Rosie, picks her up for a reconciliation dinner and shares she has something to tell her and that it is a matter of life or death. Before she can share the information they get in a terrible car accident and Rosie suffers a brain injury and can't communicate. The beginning and ending of this one were pretty good. There are about 150 pages in the middle that for me were quite long and challenging to keep going. It did keep me guessing though and the red herrings galore were well done. I do also think the author did a very good job on the medical piece of this one. Thank you to NetGalley and Blackstone Publishing for an advanced e-copy in exchange for my honest opinion. Imposter will be available on 9/13/22.

I went into this book blind like I do for most of the thrillers I read. The prologue is dark and creepy and led me to believe something throughout the majority of the book. (which was totally wrong.) LOL

Two sisters: Lillian and Rosie who haven't spoken to each other in two years. Now, with the urging from Lillian's husband, the two sisters are going to dinner together. On the drive, Rosie is acting strangely and says she has something life or death to speak to her about, but before they can do that they are in an accident. This leaves Rosie with a traumatic brain injury and not recognizing Lillian.

Through Lillian's current detective work and Rosie's past journals, we are taken on a wild ride to find out what Rosie wanted to talk to her about and if the car accident was intentional or not. Lillian suffered a concussion in the accident, so she is not 100% reliable.

This is a pretty fast paced story and I was never bored. I thought I had it all figured out at one point, but I was so, so, so wrong. (which made me happy and enjoy it so much more.) I will say that I will never look at baby monitors the same way. Creeped me out.

This is a wonderful debut thriller. Highly recommend it.

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing, NetGalley and the author for my advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5/5)
Pub Date: 9/13
Genre: Psychological Thriller

Wow! I haven't binged a thriller like this in quite some time. I stayed up way past my bedtime to finish and let me tell you, it was worth it. This book had everything I enjoy in a psychological thriller - unsettling characters, a fast-paced narrative, smart twists/reveals and an unpredictable conclusion. "Imposter" kept me on my toes, I was never quite sure who or what to trust.

The story revolves around two sisters, Lillian and Rosie, who are estranged from one another. Lillian agrees to dinner, hoping to mend their relationship. On the way to the restaurant, Rosie admits she has a secret that is a matter of life or death when suddenly they are involved in a car crash. In the aftermath of the accident, Rosie is left with a severe traumatic brain injury & Lillian is determined to find answers.

Bradeigh Godfrey, where have you been hiding!? This book was really well put together from beginning to end. I loved that the author utilized her personal knowledge (as a physician who works with patients suffering from sustained traumatic brain injuries) to tell this story; everything about this aspect felt believable and understandable. Obsession, loyalty and betrayal are seamlessly integrated with heavier topics like anxiety, abandonment and postpartum depression to create a unique thriller, with sisterhood as the driving force launching everything into motion. I highly recommend this, I've already pre-ordered a copy for my collection.

Read this if you like:
-Psychological Thrillers
-Sisterhood/Complicated sibling dynamics
-Medical Setting
-Unique Twists

**Thank you to Bradeigh Godfrey, Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!**

4.5 Rounded Up. This was a really good debut thriller!

Lillian and her sister have an estranged relationship for the past two years. When they finally get together for dinner one night after the two years, they end up in a car accident. What unfolds is a fast paced psychological thriller as Lillian tries to discover what happened while her sister was seriously injured from the accident. What happened in Rosie's past while they were estranged? Lillian also has some skeletons in her closet.

The writing was so good and this was a really quick read. I did predict fairly early on what was going to happen but it was still a really great read as the story unfolded.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy. Opinions are my own.

Bradeigh Godfrey is going on my list of must-read authors! First, it was her collaboration on The Beach Trap that grabbed my heart, and now her suspense novel Imposter bent my brain in the best possible way.

Imposter is the story of two sisters, Lilian and Rosie. As children, they were incredibly close, with Lilian often acting as a mother to Rosie. When Lilian left for medical school, however, Rosie's feelings of abandonment began the slow process of driving them apart.

Now, it's been too long since they've seen each other. Lilian is reeling from a professional trauma and learning to be a good mom for her adorable baby girl when Rosie gets in touch, suddenly desperate to see her sister and to tell her something of vital importance. They're driving to dinner when they're in a car accident, and Rosie's injury has left her unable to communicate or to recognize her significant others: Lilian and Rosie's fiance.

Lilian is determined to figure out what her sister wanted to tell her and to rebuild their relationship. But the barriers to both goals are larger than she'd imagined.

Imposter is a propulsive, deliciously twisty suspense novel whose flawed characters made the plot even more compelling. I absolutely loved it!

Thank you to Blackstone Publishing and NetGalley for the #gifted copy.

Sisters. Lillian and Rosie had always been close. Lillian more like the mother to her sister because of a big age gap. They drifted apart after her parents died. Years later Rosie connects with Lillian and they plan a dinner out. A car accident changes everything. It makes Lillian question everything.

What a fantastic debut!! This is everything a psychological thriller should be! There were some surprise twists and kept me feeling on edge throughout the entire book. I binged it in less than 48 hours.

I cannot wait to read more from this author!

Wow, just wow! What a thrilling debut from Bradeigh!

2 estranged sisters, Lillian and Rosie, go out to dinner one snowy night because Rosie has something important to tell Lily. Then there's an accident which leaves Rosie critically injured and unable to communicate.
It's up to Lily to try and put pieces together of what was going on with Rosie.

I love the fact that the author works in the medical field this subject is on and so she is able to really bring the realness to this story. There is also domestic abuse which is hard to read about in Rosie's online journal. I was so engaged in trying to figure out,with our MC, what was going on and it was a fantastic journey to get there. I was so surprised at the twist and turns that kept me reading until that conclusion!

Great book if you love psychological thrillers.

This is an exciting book with a really clever plot. There are some really unique twists, and you can actually learn something about a particular kind of brain injury by reading this book. Lillian is a very admirable character in her fierce devotion to her sister, but she is also dealing with her own issues which only makes her that much more relatable.

I am a sucker for a story about sisters. And add in that it's a thriller, I'm sold! 

While driving down the road on a winter Icey night, Rosie and Lilian , who have not spoken in years, get into a car accident- leaving Rosie with a traumatic brain injury. At first this all seems like an accident, but the more Lilian learns about the months leading up to the accident, the more she realizes this may not be just an accident. 
What I loved about this book was the set up- This is told through alternating prospectives. One being present day Lilian, working on finding out what exactly has happened. The second is from Rosie's diary when she met with a psychiatrist. Both POV add so much to the story and really build the relationship between the sisters for the reader. 
I was blown away by this being a debut. This author really sculpted the characters and made this book hard to put down. 
Sister stories are so complex and this really showed how intense and interesting they can sometimes be. Really enjoyed and highly recommend this one.

Lilian and Rosie are sisters but haven’t been close in a few years. One night Lilian meets Rosie at her request. Rosie has a life or death matter to discuss. Before it can be divulged,they get in a car accident. Rosie is left with a brain injury and unable to communicate. Lilian begins to wonder if someone cause the accident on purpose…

This book will keep you turning the pages to figure out what in the world is going on! I had an inkling about it, and I was partially right, but there were still many surprises for me. It’s one of those stories that when you get to the end, everything makes sense. I enjoyed the diary stories and how we get a look back at who Rosie really is. This would make a good, fast, entertaining beach read!

“She couldn’t undo the accident or erase the last two years they’d been apart, but she could find out who’d hurt Rosie - and why.”

Imposter comes out 9/13.

Imposter is a fast paced, gripping, suspenseful page turner, I did not want to put it down!

The story has a medical setting with Bradeigh drawing from her background as a physician which I thought was very cool. Especially being in healthcare myself, I really enjoyed the medical pieces to the story.

Told from Beth’s side, we hear her thoughts and feelings as she processes everything that’s happened in her life recently. And although I don’t have her exact struggles I did relate to Beth and I really enjoyed her character. We’re also introduced to a few other key players who were well written, so solid characters all around.

As a thriller l knew something was up, so I was on the hunt for the clues. While I did get suspicious of a few things I could not pin down what exactly the heck was going on. Then things slowly started coming into clearer focus, building into a larger picture until bam. You’re left with the clever, perfectly twisty ending. It all came together so well at the end, it was just a perfectly crafted story.

So to sum it up: gorgeous cover, amazing writing, solid characters, enthralling plot, what more could you want from a book?! What an absolutely fantastic debut, I cannot wait to read more from Bradeigh Godfrey!

This is exactly what I want in a psychological thriller. It was full of suspense and tension. I couldn’t put it down once it gripped me. The story is partially told through journal entries which I love too